COVID-19 in Switzerland "reached a certain plateau": health official

As the number of new infections and deaths of COVID-19 falling in Switzerland, an official from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) told a press conference on Tuesday that the country "has reached a certain plateau" in fighting against the outbreak.

"No one currently dares to make clear forecasts, but there are indications that the number is decreasing, not only with regard to new infections but also hospitalizations and people in intensive care," said Patrick Mathys, head of the crisis management and international collaboration section of the FOPH.

The official added that currently around 400 people are in intensive care units, and this number has not increased for several days.

"I would like to say thank you," the official said, adding that the main thanks should go to the people "who stayed at home over Easter despite the nice weather".

Switzerland reported 254 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the smallest daily increase in the past three weeks. Official data from the FOPH shows that this is the fifth day of decline in new confirmed cases in the country.

As of Monday, there were a total of 25,834 COVID-19 confirmed cases in Switzerland, a landlocked country with a population of 8.5 million, and the death toll stands at 900.